CCAO

Center | Jerusalem | North | South | West Bank

Advising

The Coordinating Catholic Aid Organizations (CCAO) was established in accordance with the Pastoral Plan of the Diocesan Synod of the Catholic Churches in the Holy Land in 2000. Section 15 of the Pastoral Plan under the heading “The Presence of our Churches in the World of Human Suffering”, provides for the ‘creation of a higher council of institutions working in the area of human suffering for coordination and collaboration”. The CCAO’s goal is to enhance mutual support among its members (including local churches, hospitals, universities, and NGOs), including enhanced communication and shared information to provide aid and support in a more effective and efficient way without duplication of services. The CCAO’s mission is to encourage coordination and cooperation of efforts in the service of God and all His people in the Holy Land: striving to realize a common vision and following the principles of the Catholic social teaching on solidarity, subsidiary human dignity, social justice, and options for the poor.

Duration of Activity: 1 Hours

Community/Narrative:Israeli, Palestinian, Christian, Interfaith

CONTACT PERSON

Michael van Lay

(054) 654-0722 michael.vanlay@ageh.de

c/o German Association of the Holy Land
2, Nablus Road St.
P.O. Box 19070
Jerusalem 91190

FAIR TOURISM REMARKS

Our overall aim is to make organisers of touristic visits and especially pilgrimages aware of the tragic, painful and ever hurting situation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We regard it as a fundamental challenge to the basic ethical values of tourists and to the religious faith of pilgrims. The crucial question they are facing is: How can we ``enjoy`` or search for the unquestionable richness of the Holy Land without being deeply affected and challenged by the unjust relations between Israelis and Palestinians, Muslims, Christians and Jews alike? Furthermore: How can we react in a truly human and Christian way to the basic injustice and the violence underlying the situation? Making such questioning a visit or pilgrimage would make it a testimony of humanity and religious faith - far beyond leisure, culture, education, commerce, piousness, rituals.